Alchemy
Overview Alchemy allows the creation of special Potions and Toxins. There is a book called Beaumonts Botany in the Med Castle Library, if you hunt around a bit, and look on a shelf, this is the text of that book: Beaumont's Botany: The Complete Guide to Plant Identification Volume One by Sir Bradford Beaumont Preface Chapter One - Blacktar Blossom Chapter Two - Bogrot Chapter Three - Cypress Bark Chapter Four - Daggerthorn Aloe Chapter Five - Darkthorn Moss Chapter Six - Feverthorn Chapter Seven - Grave Weed Chapter Eight - Mortis Moss Chapter Nine - Petrified Peat Chapter Ten - Shieldrot Chapter Eleven - Trembleweed Chapter Twelve - Weevil Spore Chapter Thirteen - Widowmaker Weed Preface My love of botany began well over a dozen years ago. I spent many an afternoon exploring the lands near our small manor with my adolescent son. I taught him nature's basics, such as how to fish and read animal tracks. But for my son, it was the beauty of the wilderness that really captured his imagination. The colors of the wildflowers, the smell of the forest trees, and the sound of the wind rustling over the prairie grass spoke to his heart. Ten years ago, almost to the day, my son was overcome by consumption, and the gods took him from me. Exploring the flora of the land has become my life's work. It makes me feel close to my son. The book is dedicated to Sivan. Blacktar Blossom Chapter One *Found at Forested Hills (Fire Giants Keep) - Foothills (Asnor mountains) The blacktar blossom has a bell-shaped flower that hangs off a delicate, hooked stem. The crimson blossom has six teardrop-shaped petals. A favorite of local hummingbirds, the flower produces dark, sticky nectar that tends to drip down the petals onto the ground below. The plant prefers mid-altitude temperatures and can be found in the hills of Medievia's forests and plains. Within the confines of a potion, it aids in protection as well as making the imbiber invisible to the naked eye. Within a toxin, it severely damages the victim's armor and ability to deflect damage. Bogrot Chapter Two *Found on Rivers and Shores Bogrot is a fungus that can be found in areas with running water, such as streams or shallow parts of the ocean. It looks like a thick, burnt orange fur that grows on solid surfaces underwater like river stones and driftwood. The fungus feeds on decaying matter brought by the current. When properly dried, bogrot can be useful as an alchemy ingredient, but its use is limited to potions only. Cypress Bark Chapter Three *Found at Grassy Foothills & Forested Hills (FGS) & for some weird reason: Rocky, Barren Flatlands (W of Czareran) Cypress trees are plentiful throughout Medievia's virgin forests. Strips of cypress bark are often found on the ground below the trees, rubbed off by molting wildlife. The bark can be ground down and used as a healing agent. When combined with certain toxic ingredients, it may cause a negative health effect on the victim. Daggerthorn Aloe Chapter Four *Found at Within a Marshy Wood , On the Moors (Dark Woods) & The Banks of the Blood Sea The daggerthorn aloe is a flowerless plant that is made up of dozens of thick, stem-like leaves. The aloe leaves are bulky, and each leaf has serrated thorns staggered along both sides every couple of inches. The thorns are mostly for show; they will flex when touched rather than pierce. The daggerthorn aloe grows in marshland and can be found plentifully around the Blood Sea. It is a common element in toxin creation, producing a variety of effects. It is also said that the aloe's sap can be used in potions to increase awareness of one's surroundings. Darkthorn Moss Chapter Five *Found at SWAMPS (Thanos) Darkthorn moss is found in dark, damp environments, such as swamps and moors. The moss is easily identified by its blue-green coloring. Take care when collecting a specimen! The darkthorn's leaves have tiny barbs that are almost invisible to the naked eye. If grasped carelessly, the spines can dig into the collector's skin and cause significant pain. If used properly within a potion, the moss assists in protecting and curing ailments. It is also a popular ingredient for toxins, with effects ranging from damaging the victim's health to reducing physical abilities. Feverthorn Chapter Six *Found at A Humid, Misty Jungle (Aeketh, Talqaxtyl's Pyramid) Feverthorn is a stout thistle that has four spear-shaped leaves that sprout from a stalk made of thick fiber. The stem is covered in sharp thorns. Each leaf is characteristically marked by a bright red vein running from stalk to tip. The feverthorn thrives in humid climates, and it can often be found in the jungle, hidden in the thick foliage. The leaves of the feverthorn are known to enhance a person's ability to detect magic. The thistle's thorns can be ground into a paste and used in a toxin, where it has harsh effects on the victim's ability to cast magic spells. Grave Weed Chapter Seven *Found at A Vast Desert (Rhaiaden) The grave weed is often mistaken for tumbleweed at first glance, but the grave weed is very much alive. It is a voluminous plant made of dozens of dry, brittle branches that interweave themselves into roughly the shape of a sphere. The grave weed requires a sandy soil where it lightly anchors its roots. In a strong wind, the grave weed can be uprooted and blown around, but it has a unique ability to re-root itself again in the loose sand. Grave weed prefers arid climates, but some botanists have reported grave weed growing along the beaches, most likely the result of a strong windstorm. The husks can easily be snapped apart to extract the thin, clear sap. The sap is known to produce incredible strength and protection when mixed properly within a potion. However, if used within a toxin, the victim will become weaker. Mortis Moss Chapter Eight POTION BASE *Found at A Dense, Forested Wilderness, east of Medievia Mortis moss is commonly found growing on trees in the forested wilderness. It is vibrant green and very brittle; it will crump easily even with a gentle touch. This moss is the fundamental ingredient in making potions. When made into a paste, it will bind other herbs and plants together without altering their natural chemistry. Petrified Peat Chapter Nine *Found at On the Rocky Slopes of the Mountains (Ruellia) Petrified peat is not the frozen lump of decaying plant matter that you might have expected. Rather, it's a petite plant that thrives in cold temperatures. The plant has a single stem with five bushy leaves extending out at various lengths. Its roots and stalk are a deep shade of blue that gradually fades into a dull silver as the color extends into the leaves. The petrified peat is able to withstand sub-zero weather. When used as a potion ingredient, petrified peat will create the greatest level of protection currently known to alchemists. When mixed into a toxin, it contributes to damaging health effects, as well as reducing a victim's abilities. Shieldrot Chapter Ten *Found at A Humid, Misty Jungle (Aeketh/Talqaxtyl's Pyramid) Twice as rare as feverthorn On first glance, shieldrot can often be mistaken for a common garden herb, but it's a rare plant found deep within Medievia's dense jungles. It's only two inches high and has soft, heart-shaped leaves and delicate stems. Shieldrot generally grows in shaded areas and is easy to overlook. When combined with cypress bark dust, shieldrot promotes powerful healing effects when mixed into a potion. However, most alchemists save this rare herb to mix into their toxins. Adding this element when mixing a toxin can create some of the most dangerous poisons available. Trembleweed Chapter Eleven TOXIN BASE *Found at A Well Traveled Road (Any Trade run will get you plenty) Trembleweed is a common type of prairie grass. It has thick, woody stems that grow up to four feet tall. When flowering, the trembleweed produces a dense panicle of seed pods that create a distinct sound when the grass sways in the wind. When consumed, trembleweed seeds are toxic. When properly prepared, that poison can easily be extracted. This makes the trembleweed an ideal basic toxin ingredient. Weevil Spores Chapter Twelve *Found at The Sandy Dunes of a Beach Weevil spores are a non-native mushroom; they have only appeared on our ocean beaches in the last few years. The mushroom has a short stem and a broad white cap scattered with magenta spots. While its origins are unknown, many botanists believe that the spores' appearance is related to a surge in fae magic. When lightly squeezed, the mushroom will release a small puff of silver powder. Alchemists have discovered that this powder will allow a person to view vast distances when consumed in a potion. When used appropriately within a toxin, it creates powerful negative effects on the victim. Widowmaker Weed Chapter Thirteen *Found at An Ominous Forest + A Dense, Forested Wilderness (Spiderwode) The widowmaker weed is a rare herb that has a half-dozen long stems that sprout directly from its roots. Each stem is typically bowed by the weight of a single oval leaf. The plant can be found over much of Medievia's forest land, but it only grows when the conditions are right; it requires acidic, high-nutrient soil and large amounts of moisture. The widowmaker weed's usage in potions is primarily to transport the imbiber. Within toxins, it has a minor role in weakening the victim. Known Recipes Potions: *3 moss/3bogroot = a bubbly herbal brew - Type(Potion) Loc(take) Spell(Lev:35 Breathe Water, Mass Levitation) Cond(pristine-185)" *3 moss/2bark = a nip of invigoration: Type(Potion) Loc(take) Spell(Lev:31 Refresh, Refresh) Cond(pristine-185)" *3 moss/3bark = a diluted herbal infusion: Type(Potion) Loc(take) Spell(Lev:35 Cure Critical) Cond(pristine-185)" *3 moss/3grave = an assassin's stimulant: Type(Potion) Loc(take) Spell(Lev:32 Teleport, Quickness, Wizard Eye) Cond(pristine-185)" *4 moss/2peat = distilled spirits of protection: Type(Potion) Loc(take) Spell(Lev:31 Sanctuary) Cond(pristine-185)" CHANGED 7/1/2010 to distilled spirits of protection - Type(Potion) Spell(Lev:24 Sanctuary) FRAGILE Cond(pristine-185)" Toxins: *3 trembleweed / 2 grave = a diluted toxin of atrophy - Type(Toxin) Loc(take) Toxin: Str(-1, 6 ticks) Imbues(25 ticks) Cond(pristine-185)" *3 trembleweed / 2 aloe = a diluted toxin of instability: Type(Toxin) Loc(take) Toxin: Dex (-1, 6 ticks) Imbues(25 ticks) Cond(pristine-185)" *3 trembleweed / 2 feverthorn = a diluted toxin of feebleness - Type(Toxin) Loc(take) Toxin: Int(-1, 6 ticks) Wis(-1, 6 ticks) Imbues(25 ticks) Cond(pristine-185)" *5 tremble / 2 aloe (no longer works) = a toxin of unnerving Type(Toxin) Loc(take) Toxin: INF_MAGE(-10, 3 ticks) INF_CLERIC(-10, 3 ticks) Imbues(12 ticks) Cond(pristine-185)" --Antons 01:10, 26 July 2010 (UTC) Working on more! Additional Notes So, ingredients that havent been made into anything yet: *Blacktar blossom: says offers protection and makes invisible, or in a toxin damages armor *Darkthorn moss: Nonspecific, potions to protect, cure; or toxin to damage health or reduce physical abilities, this is possibly just a helper ingredient, to make the more powerful potions harder to figure out. *Shieldrot: in potions with cypress bark dust, promotes healing affects; toxins, makes most dangerous toxins known. This is probably another helper ingredient *Weevil Spores: in potions, ability to view vast distances (probably sense weather, sense fire, sense afar, sense movement, wiz eye, etc) ;toxins, nonspecific, just says "powerful negative effects" *Widowmaker weed: in potions says primarily to transport, (probably teleport/word of recall) ;toxins, minor role in weakening. Other facts that can be pulled from the text in Beaumont's Botany: *To make a potion mortis moss is its base, and to make a toxin trembleweed is its base. *Bogrot, potions only *Cypress bark hasn't been used in a toxin yet, nonspecific text though "negative health affect" *Daggerthorn Aloe, common in toxins, in potions, used to increase awareness, sense life/movement probably? *Feverthorn, potions, detect magic; toxins "harsh effect on ability to cast magic spells" *Grave weed text says: "incredible strength and protection when used within a potion" So, strength definitely, and some protection spells. *Petrified Peat in toxins, "contributes to damaging health effects, as well as reducing a victim's abilities." *When you fail alchemy, there seems to be 2 possible effects, it will fail, or it will go haywire and destroy the jar, is this a hot/cold hint? and if so, how to use it to our advantage to figure out more alchemy? Vryce once said on chat channel "one recipe is 10 of a 5 of b 3 c 2 d 2 e and 2 of f". No indication of whether this is toxin or potion. Knowing these numbers reduces the combinations down from around 480 million to around 1000 posiible. Shouldn't take more than 24,000 plants and 35 million gold to figure this one out.